CANNABIS: USAGE AND EFFECTS

What is it?

First grown in Central Asia and spread throughout the world, Cannabis has become hugely influential. It has many different names including ‘‘marijuana’’ and ‘‘weed”, and it can also be used for food, tea, cigarettes, and medicine. Cannabis is composed of chemicals named cannabinoids, the most known being THC and CBD. THC produces the mental “high,” and CBD has effects of relaxation, happiness, and feelings related to that of wellbeing (Mary Jo DiLonardo, 2021). If these chemicals are to be consumed, they are responsible for the sensibility between cells, and have roles in nerve pain, immune function, stress, and sleep. There are studies which prove that there are various negative side effects from cannabis usage; however, people still use it. Cannabis is widely used in Europe in separate ways, such as recreational and medical usage.  

Legal Stance

As for the usage of cannabis in Europe, things have changed in the last decade moving toward allowing limited recreational use alongside much more medical access. Now, a handful of countries allow recreational use of cannabis for adults in restricted ways, such as for personal possession and home growing, but no large commercial shops or full-sales markets like in other parts of the world. These countries include Germany, where since April 2024, adults can possess a limited amount such as up to 25g in public or 50g at home, grow up to 3 plants, and join non-profit cultivation clubs. For Malta, since 2021, there have been non-profit associations for members. In Luxembourg, since 2023, private home growing of up to 4 plants is allowed, and in the Czech republic, people are allowed to have 25g in public and grow up to 3 plants, without sales being allowed. In many other places, recreational use is decriminalized for small personal amounts, so a person might face a fine instead of having a criminal record, such as in the Netherlands where coffee shops tolerate sales and the use of it. In terms of medical cannabis, it is prescribed by doctors in many more countries than before, where there are around 28 countries in Europe which allow it. Low THC and CBD products are widely sold as food supplements across most countries; however, anything that contains higher THC, which gets a person “high”, connecting to the brain which controls pain, moods, and other feelings, usually needs a prescription and stays restricted if over limits (European Union Drugs Agency, 2025). In countries where any or small recreational use is allowed, there are only set amounts which are permitted for personal use, and any form of public consumption often has rules such as no smoking near schools or kids’ areas. Where medical usage is legal, these countries allow over the counter products with low amounts of THC, otherwise a doctor or physician must prescribe it. Cannabis is still the most used illicit drug in Europe, with national surveys showing an estimated 8.4% of adults have used it in the last year according to latest data, and it is the drug where public attitudes and political debate stay most polarized. Interest on the subject keeps growing rapidly, prompted by these changes and dramatic international developments in how some countries handle the substance.

Recreational Use

Marijuana is a known drug used as a relaxation tool. It is used recreationally for many reasons including to relieve stress, anxiety, cause laughter, as well as to ease emotional or chronic pain. It is the dried up part of the plant called cannabis sativa, and the main ways to use it recreationally is through smoking it as a joint, a blunt, using a pipe or a bong. As well, it can be vaped or consumed through edibles either through gummies, brownies, drinks, or any food it is added to (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2020). When smoking or vaping, the main chemical which enters the body is THC, as it goes into the lungs, then into the blood, and straight to the brain, causing the feeling of being “high” and other effects quite quickly. Edibles work slower but can have similar or stronger effects since the THC gets processed through the digestive system and consumed entirely rather than smoked. For certain people it can feel both good and relaxing, relieving even, but for others it can cause stress, fear, panic, or even paranoia, especially with higher doses or if not as used to it. Some people use cannabis as a way of coping, which reportedly has led to increases in addiction or dependence over time. Short-term side effects often include bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite (the munchies), and slower or delayed reaction times. Long-term or heavy use has shown signs of damaging the brain, causing memory problems and even raising risks such as schizophrenia, depression, or anxiety. Reportedly, the use of marijuana can have a negative effect for teens and adolescents, where copious amounts can lead to IQ decline or worse mental health issues (Stephanie Watson, 2021). Medical use often overlaps with these methods, such as oils or simply smoking it, however it focuses on symptom relief without aiming for the high itself.

Medical Use

As previously mentioned, medical cannabis is made with the plant cannabis sativa, which is used to ease symptoms from different medical treatments. It includes pills, oils, tinctures, powders, topicals, and sometimes extracts made with the main chemicals called cannabinoids, especially THC and CBD. Some products are more THC based, allowing for stronger pain relief but with possible intoxicating effects, while others are CBD dominant, for relaxation and wellbeing without such a “high” effect. Making medicine from the marijuana plant brings challenges, such as not always knowing the exact operative chemicals in each batch, making it harder to develop consistent and reliable products (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020). Medical marijuana gets prescribed when a patient meets certain requirements, usually for things such as severe chronic pain, nausea from cancer treatment, epilepsy, insomnia, or other tough conditions. These treatments do not aim to have the strong intoxicating effect like recreational use does (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021). Side effects from medical cannabis can of course still occur, such as dizziness, memory problems, increased heart rate, and slower reactions, however these vary by type and dose. 

The Future

In Europe, cannabis is commonly used as a recreational drug or medicine. Consumption of these substances can have various impacts on the brain and nerves. Developing medicine with cannabis can be challenging, not knowing what chemicals are in the plant itself. Smoking marijuana is dangerous because it goes directly into the blood system into the brain, leaving major side effects afterwards, counting the other chemicals in the joint inside. There is still a lot of research to be done about the plant, and the use of cannabis to its highest potential.  

 Writer:Silja Dukovska

Editor:Gina

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